The Roman Horse
by KittyDuo195
Summary: A wicked woman arrives in time to teach the young Brigantes about love an forgiveness by changing Marcus into exactly what he wished for after a misunderstanding. Now the two boys must work to change him back, or will it be too late? SLASH don't like don't read. established relationship.


_Wham!_

The large, thick knife slammed through bone and flesh, a popping sound as it paused and wiggled back and fourth to move through the joint, before silently slicing through the rest of the flesh. Marcus moved the leg off to the side to be salted and cured for the coming fall and winter. For now though, the waning summer sun was still warm, especially for this late in the year. Soon though, soon it would be cold, rainy, and his leg would pain him as it always did in the winter, something he never looked forward to. What he did look forward to was Esca, his lithe friend joining him by the warming fire with his jar of oil and herbs, massaging the pain away with his orgasmic fingers, and laying with him for hours in the furs, neither speaking a word, and neither having to either.

The large hearth in their bedroom was one of Marcus's favorite aspects about their home in the British countryside outside Calleva. It kept the damp and cold out in the winter, warming the modest roman spread. All together they had a fine home, some stables, plenty of land to plow and hunt, and were close enough to Calleva to still get supplies. When Marcus had left his Uncle's villa, Esca followed him of his own free will, which delighted the broad roman after spending months agonizing over the decision, harbored by the fear that though Esca was now on more intimate terms with him, he may still with to return to the north, his true home.

A leaf fluttered down onto the old, heavy wooden table he was working on, the golden rays of sun mixing the colors of olive tones on his skin. Setting the large knife aside, Marcus trimmed part of the corneal band of the leg to loosen it and remove the tough hoof of the small deer he and Esca had hunted earlier that morning.

"You're not done yet?"

Marcus's fingers nearly slipped, but his old soldier hands knew what they were doing, and he continued his task without looking up, "No, but I've been admiring the scenery in my defense."

Glancing up he saw Esca raise an inquisitive eyebrow and then let the subject drop, but marcus smiled ruefully, "But I suppose a Brigantes would be twice and nimble at it."

"To be sure love," Esca answered. Though the he rarely outright smiled, Marcus could tall the other was laughing inside, his lips surreptitiously curled vertically to relay such feelings. Marcus hypothesized that it was from years of not being able to give away any emotion as a slave, but even with Esca's control, Marcus had learned to read him in the year since they had returned from the north.

"Some trainers inquired about a purchase while I was in town this morning," Marcus said simply, rearranging the animal on the slaughter table so that he could remove the ribs from the carcass. "I told them that they were free tomorrow morning and that you would be working with the horses then if they wished to come and see."

"What kind of horse were they looking for?"

Marcus' brow furrowed. "I don't know. They didn't elaborate upon the matter. Just said that they wish to make a purchase, in fact they didn't even say anything about horses. Perhaps they wish to inquire about something else?"

"Well the cabbage won't be ready to pull in for at least a few more weeks, and the grapes are already in so…" Esca drawled out slowly, and then retreated into the house.

Later that evening, sated with fresh meat and newly harvested vegetables, Esca shed his clothes and crawled into bed beside a stretched out Marcus, his larger frame easily taking up his half of the bed. This was never a matter though, as Esca was quite proficient at rearranging himself against the other man, working out a cradle of furs and woven wool blankets that kept them warm against one another. Crickets chirped lazily in the moonlight outside, and one of Marcus' well muscled arms wrapped around his torso, drawing him in closer.

Marcus smiled contentedly, sighing out his nose. "Well at least it isn't going to rain tomorrow."

"I suppose your weather predicting leg told you this?" Esca scoffed, resting his head close to his lover's, reveling in their shared body heat on the crisp night.

Marcus grinned though his eyes were closed, "That's correct."

Well, at least Marcus was amusing. It was no wonder that Esca had come with him after their return. Not only was he amusing, but once you dug past the strong duty and Roman honor that Marcus wore on his chest everyday like a badge, he was kind and gentle, and would do anything to protect his family.

"Goodnight," Marcus murmured, his thumb slowing it's tender rubbing on Esca's tanned skin.

"Night," Esca sighed back, unaware that the next day would change everything he had come to love.


End file.
